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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29748786">Ghost of The Mountains</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoneCat/pseuds/BoneCat'>BoneCat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>1500's france, Alternate Universe - Historical, Animal Death, Blood and Gore, Bottom Eren Yeager, Codependency, Eventual Romance, Feral Behavior, Historical Inaccuracy, Historical References, Hunter Levi Ackerman, I tried my best, I'll add tags as I update, Innocent Eren Yeager, Levi Ackerman Has PTSD, M/M, Mutual Pining, Mythical Beings &amp; Creatures, Psychological Horror, Scent Marking, Selkies, Top Levi Ackerman, Unhealthy Relationships, Wilderness, eren is a selkie, selkies can be other animals besides seals</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:22:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,436</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29748786</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoneCat/pseuds/BoneCat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi knew this to be true, knew he wasn't sick of body nor mind. He was just...</p>
<p>Disciplined…</p>
<p>Reactionary. </p>
<p>Now he lurks, in the mountains and in the forest, more than a shadow but less than a man. A beast in human skin. Perhaps that's what his ghost was too.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Levi Ackerman/Eren Yeager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi, so this was heavily inspired by the selkie of Scottish folklore. If you don't know what selkies are here's a quick explanation. </p>
<p>Selkies are basically seals or other animals (depending on the lore) who have the power to shed their animal skins and become human. Selkies are said to be very beautiful so many men steal their furs in order to force them to stay in human form and marry them. Without their animal skins selkie can not turn back it their animal forms. If you'd like more insight this video explains a bit more about selkies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS62iRXBeJc</p>
<p>Anyway I hope everyone enjoys the fic!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Silent. </p><p>Still. </p><p>Untouched. </p><p>The forest and mountains as vast and wild as the beasts that dwell within, the abyss of yellow and orange leaves; of stark grey and white mountains too great to ever be tamed by man. </p><p>The time was fall, deep into harvest. The silence only ever giving way to the crunch of leaves beneath predator and prey's feet. Snow had already begun to blanket further and further down the rocky plains of the mountain side. The snow caps creeping slowly out, as they do every year, to the forest of pines, soon to reach the dying garden of poplar and elm Levi was in now. </p><p>The wintertide was coming and with the brutal frosts and winds the prey would disappear into brumal depths. The need to hunt was at its most critical peak. It was a fight for survival ingrained into mankind from birth. A fact of life which Levi resonated well with.<br/>
Harvest was his favorite season. So full of life and death, beautiful and fading. Vibrant for a moment, trees alight like a flame in the darkness and then gone the next. Every creature in its cruel grasp struggled to prepare for the coming frost—and Levi was no different.<br/>
On leafy trails, past babbling brooks, Levi followed his prey. The kaleidoscope of reds and browns, a confusing mass to most, but not to him. He was a solitary hunter, alone in nature as he tracked his kill. </p><p>It was nearing mid-day, the sky a collage of pale greys and powdered blues, clouds so thin and light they looked like plumes of steam, so unlike the plagued skies and streets of Paris. The French Alps were pure, clean of the pestilence of disease that rampaged the nation. Nestled high above the humans who reject its untamed call.<br/>
And it was that quiet, unstilled call of nature that had pale blue eyes like those of the full moon piercing through the brush, arm steady and practiced as he nocked his arrow with calloused hands. There, emerging from the flora was a plump rabbit, nose pink and twitching as it approached a stream to drink. Upon further inspection Levi could see that its tan woodsy fur had already begun the transformation into stark white, glossy black eyes and long fluffy ears unseeing and unhearing of the threat hidden across the water.<br/>
This scenario was all too familiar to Levi; it brought an odd comfort to his chest as he breathed deeply allowing all his focus to settle on his prey. He gripped the bow tight and let his arrow fly, hitting the young hare right through its doll-like eyes. He was quick and efficient, making sure none of its meat or fur would go to waste. Swiftly dispatched like an unknown enemy, two ships passing in the night. </p><p>And then it was over. The rush and thrill of the hunt ended as quickly as a bolt of light amidst a storm, Levi crouching down amidst the stream before collecting his prey. His sharp eyes surveyed the woodland maze for any lone foxes or wolves that might want to steal the rabbit as he collected water in his flask. It was silent, except for the gurgle of the stream and the miniscule sprints of squirrels and marmots among the fallen leaves. Releasing a sigh, Levi rose from where he was crouched, bones creaking in protest as he patted himself down of the dirt and leaves he'd accumulated during his hunt, yellows and reds falling to join the flow of the shallow spring. Approaching the rabbit, Levi retrieved the arrow from its eye, unaffected by the spillage of blood that followed the harsh tug, a glassy eye clinging to the end of the arrow head, the fleshy mass quickly being discarded to the ground with a flick of the wrist. It was as if he were on autopilot, pulling the rope he kept under his cloak to create a small noose placed secure around the rabbit’s neck for easier travel. The routine of the hunt was a balm for his daily life. A dream of vast forests with no end that he was rudely awakened from every month; visited by two of the strangest people he'd had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting in his youth. </p><p>Hanji and Erwin were... odd, to say the least. Well, more so Hanji than Erwin. They were a doctor of sorts, recruited to work in ports and ships stuffed full of past enemies during the last years of the Cambrai War. The French and Duchy were none too kind to newly allied Venice soldiers. Yet Hanji seemed to flourish around bad attitudes and foul words, unbiased and uncaring of who they cured under knife and herb. It never lasted long anyway. One couldn't afford to be picky at sea. The Atlantic was cold and unforgiving, a vast wasteland of undrinkable water that sent most men to their graves while the Mediterranean only offered death by cannon fire. By the time Levi had met Hanji, he'd already been at sea for four long years, working his way up to the rank of Captain through the blood and viscera of his fellow sailors. Names and families and lives indiscriminately snuffed out by nature or man just the same as the rabbit he held in his hand. </p><p>Many say the sea drives men mad with tall tales of merfolk and wrathful gods, but Levi never had tastes for such things. Why fear gods and fish-folk when ships were set aflame in front of your very eyes, walking corpses rushing to bloody shark infested waters just to be eaten by its depths? No, what drove Levi insane—”insane enough to seclude himself alone in the mountains for two years like some wild-man —”as Hanji put so eloquently, was the war itself and the lifestyle it instilled in all its soldiers, yet to fade from his mind. Hence why Hanji up and left Venice the moment they could just to live in the dumb fuck middle of nowhere to study the 'demons' living in Levi's head. Far from the truth if you asked him. They had become comrades at this point, bound by blood and death. Sickness was only an excuse for the redhead. Levi knew this to be true, knew he wasn't sick of body nor mind. He was just...</p><p>Disciplined…</p><p>Reactionary. </p><p>He had to remain reactionary, swift afoot and swift of mind, body and blade fit enough to kill a man. One never knows when the next battle might occur. And through the victory balls and award ceremonies, silver lining his chest and cries of joy in his ears, Levi stayed wired, alert. </p><p>Just as Erwin had. </p><p>Until he hadn't. </p><p>Erwin too had eventually stopped. Softened his edges, slowly but surely. Erwin who had been in the war even longer than Levi, who became his Commander, who'd lost his own arm, but by some devils work managed to keep Hanji and Levi alive and intact until the last cannon fired. They were disbanded now, no longer Commander and Captain, yet Erwin Smith was a man he still respected in spite of his softening demeanor over the past two years. He was a wise man, who'd practically raised Levi on his own. Levi, a grimey, shitty, ill tempered son of a whore, orphaned in the streets of Paris until he was sent to live with a distant relative far into the sticks. </p><p>Kenny was just as vile and putrid as any customer his mother received. A filthy drunk who roamed one backwater village after another, dragging Levi, a child, deeper and deeper into depravity, into shit and piss stained bars, the dirt and disgust building ever more until one day it all stopped. For no discernable reason, Kenny left him. Left him to rot in the woods a ways off from the base of the Alps. Condemned to succumb to the same elements he found himself in now. </p><p>The Ackerman's, as it seemed, were fond of abandonment. </p><p>However, living in nature even as a child seemed much simpler to Levi. Albeit, eating worms and unknown berries hardly appealed to him now, he still found himself the same as he was all those moons ago, bathing in streams and collecting fallen chestnuts like the squirrels preparing for winter were now. He'd survived, instinctually, without even a roof over his head, in that small woods just outside an even smaller village for three months, until Erwin had found him.</p><p>It almost makes Levi crack a smile, remembering the expression of pure confusion and shock on the blonde boy's face. He was maybe five or six years older than himself, gazing down upon such a feral child. Despite being half emancipated and frozen to the bone, Levi remembered putting up quite the shit show. It must have taken hours for Erwin to drag him home that day, even more for him to wash all the dirt and grime from his skin and hair. Levi recalled the water in the wooden basin he sat in, black as night like the ticks being ripped from his skin. He could still hear the hushed, worried whispers of Erwin and his father, a man of the cloth and teacher, echoing through the stone and mortar of the church, talking of diseases and orphanages until eventually, a verdict was made. Levi, sitting silently out to dry felt so clean, perhaps the purest he's ever been, reborn from the forest, its colors illuminating from the stained glass around him, yellows, reds and greens onto pallard skin and silver eyes. This is what he remembered most after becoming a part of Erwin's family. So vivid the memory was, like it was only yesterday. </p><p>Soon enough, Levi had regained himself. Created anew with knowledge, not of god but of reading and writing, of hunting and living off the lands. Erwin's father taught his passions well and far, way beyond the bible, until his passing. And like his father, Erwin committed himself to teaching as well. The church slowly became less a haven for sinners and more a place of learning, a secret library of knowledge amidst the peasants and middle class. Yet, even before the war, something was still missing. Something Levi had grasped for but a moment, living amongst the flora and fauna of the wilderness. And by the time Erwin left for the war, Levi committed himself to building his own secret. A cabin, deep into the mountains and trees above the village. Nature was his peace, having immersed himself in it as much as possible while growing up. The villagers barely knew of or saw him. He was like a ghost slipping in and out of town, breaking the mountain's siren call every few days for Erwin’s sake, as the man couldn't help but worry for someone he saw as his brother. </p><p>Even after all these years, the same can be said of now. Erwin trekking the mountains and forest with Hanji by his side, just to wake Levi from his month long dream. They bring bread, potatoes, carrots and milk, things unable to grow in the rocky forested terrain surrounding Levi's home; while Levi provides them with the pelts and furs of his kills. A fair trade as far as Levi is concerned. The need for money is scarce in his solitude and he never plans to marry or sire children. He'd rather Erwin and Hanji sell his furs and pocket the change themselves. </p><p>Either way, It was becoming that time again, the sun moving across pale blue and grey skies to the point when they'd be sure to start their trek.</p><p>He has to go back.</p><p>Preparing to move out, Levi scanned over the forest one last time, taking the crisp, fresh air deep into his chest until he spotted something. Muscles tensing, his body stilled completely, gunmetal eyes tracing a shadow in the trees. </p><p>It was his ghost. </p><p>Or should he say creature?</p><p>The wisp of its white tail, longer than anything he'd seen before, slinked past ashen bark and dark woods. Its massive paws virtually silent on the forest floor as it stalked off almost eagerly in the direction of Levi's cabin.</p><p>Tutting under his breath, Levi watched the creature leave with a disapproving frown, silver eyes focused like daggers on its feline-esque body, so compact yet powerful. Its thick white fur dotted with dark brown clouded spots blended perfectly into the abyss with each graceful stride. </p><p>Idiot.</p><p>No matter how ethereal and unearthly this 'ghost' appeared to be, it was becoming clear to Levi that this creature, whatever it may be, was no phantom, but perhaps some sort of deformed lynx. It was the closest animal he knew of that resembled his stupid ghost.  Despite logic saying a lynx could never grow to such a size, it was the only plausible answer. Either way, the feline must have been touched in the head at birth. Aside from its looks it hardly acted like any lynx, wolf or even fox he'd seen. </p><p>Yes, indeed, this creature was as shitty and uninstictual as they come. Prowling around Levi, getting closer and more brazen as the month passed. This in itself is not unusual behavior for a predator; many wolves have been killed for doing as much to the livestock and villagers at the base of the mountain. However, Levi wondered what kind of beast merely observes its prey for an entire moon? Even cubs as young as they are knew fresh meat when they saw it. Yet, this sorry excuse for a Lynx was completely lamentable. Stalking, yet never pouncing, gazing at Levi with such vivid green eyes at all hours of the day, black pupils swallowing up its big, almost curious eyes only to leave behind a ring of viridian whenever it approached too close. </p><p>It was almost like a game. A coy back and forth, as if the creature were testing its limits, testing Levi. Almost as if it'd never seen a human before. Levi considered this as he made his way through the forest. His stalker wasn't far behind him, following at a safe distance over roots and branches. At this point, his little ghost knew his routine better than Levi did. And he wondered, not for the first time, what this creature's intentions were. At this point, he was getting curious enough to even risk asking Hanji about it… But there was no way he was gonna be trapped in a lecture with shitty glasses for fuck knows how long. No. He'd deal with this on his own. If the dumb Lynx ever does attack him he'd just kill it. After all, its pelt looked awfully thick and would probably serve him well during the winter. It was also quite unique, almost beautiful if one were prone to using such words. </p><p>Even upon his first encounter with the creature he'd thought of such things. A blanket, a rug, a coat. Listing uses off, trying to find an excuse to slay the creepy little specter he'd spotted on the rocks above his home. It was early morning, muted greys and whites blanketing the land, his cabin a dark blip of red oak against the rocky hills and sparse cedars. He was preparing to set out for a hunt. The days were beginning to shorten and he'd rather not deal with the hassle of walking home in the dark. Although, the moonlit poplars and maple were soothing from atop his mountain home, the forest itself was as unforgiving as the seas in darkness, its depths swallowing and unleashing all manner of threats. The threat, in this case, was the creature not even twelve meters ahead of him, blending against the snow and earth like some sort of amalgamated painting of the elements. Levi would have missed the thing if not for his cautious nature, scanning the area like the eagles prowling overhead. Needless to say, he'd been even more tense upon their meeting back then. There was something… off about the feline, sitting there high and far from his home, something fundamental that made the hair on Levi's skin stand on end. Beyond its looks, Levi felt an almost otherworldly element emerge from those sea-green eyes; so much so that he'd genuinely believed the creature to be a spirit of some sorts. And in the wake of those thoughts, Levi did what any other man in his position would... He reciprocated. He'd grown quite accustomed to his life of solitude, so sitting in silence, having a staring contest with a supposed ghost for the remainder of the day wasn't such a poor use of his time. In all honesty, Levi couldn't give two shits about time. The land didn't care and neither did he and it seemed his ghost felt much the same. </p><p>That day, the sun and sky moved fast. Clouds shifted and light faded, Levi's eyes adjusting to the change until the specter finally rose amidst the fall of the sun. Emeralds shone through the darkness, an eerie yellow blooming from black pupils as the spirit retreated with a final glance, waltzing into the shadows of a moonless woods. This behavior continued, a daily battle of eyes, Levi unsure if what he was gazing at was even real to this world, or a making of his own mind. Unable to decide whether or not to hunt, he spent the better part of their first days together completely motionless, chewing duly on the dried meats he'd store away for when the snow or rain impeded his hunts. If this ghost was indeed real and not of his own making, then how real was it? He'd never seen it do anything but stare. Was this one of the demons Hanji spoke of? If it was, it was pretty lackluster so far. With these thoughts in mind, Levi eventually decided to continue hunting despite his unwelcome guest. Unsurprising to Levi, the shitty ghost began to follow him on said hunts. The distance between them was still far, however as days began to pass to weeks his ghost continued to follow him, his own personal shadow drawing closer with each kill. </p><p>Recently, it was on one of these shared expeditions that Levi discovered the truth. He'd been tracking a red deer for a few kilometers. Normally, Levi would stick to hunting the smaller prey in the forest such as rabbits, squirrels and the occasional wild boar. He'd only killed bigger creatures—as well as predators like wolves and foxes—if provoked. That was part of the reason he'd restrained from skinning his shitty stalker to shreds upon their first meeting. He'd only take what he needed, nothing more, nothing less. Another reason he preferred the forest and mountains to the village below it. Unfortunately for this deer, Levi had eaten a lot more of his stores sitting on his ass playing googly eyes than he intended. He needed more meat and this deer was an easy fix. Its pelt, which was a brownish red, would make for a warm blanket, its large protruding antlers and dense bones carved into arrowheads. He had plenty of iron or even steel weapons, but one never knew when a crack would appear and he didn't fancy leaving his seclusion to repair them often. Bones worked well enough. Plus, the deer wouldn't go to waste. If he could give use to it, why not repurpose it all?  In the midst of all these thoughts, Levi spotted the deer, its large, brown antlers scraping against the stark white bark of a birch tree, heavy bones digging into the dark grey and black cuts of the trunk as it snorted roughly. The young buck was almost liable to knock the whole tree down at this point, too distracted to notice Levi pointing an arrow right for its head. The distance was fair, but nothing too unmanageable. Erwin, who had gone hunting with him in his boyhood a handful of times, had always been impressed by Levi's accuracy and power with the bow. Hanji later on in life compared him to those shitty wheellock guns the nobility liked to flaunt around. Apparently, it wasn't easy to kill a deer with a headshot, an accomplishment which Levi has achieved many times over. Unblinking, Levi inhaled deeply. His shoulders set, relaxed, yet taut as he released the arrow like a bolt of light, sailing fast and firmly through his prey's skull. It was quick. No cries of pain, no chase, just the dull thump of its hide against the forest floor, the collapse causing nearby prey to scatter the vicinity in a cacophony of panic for but a single second and then, silence. It was painless, a clean kill. A kill he'd be sure to benefit off for many moons. Brutally beautiful in its honest simplicity. A life for a life. No politics or soldiers to worry about, no villagers muddying up the natural flow. Just Levi. </p><p>Until it wasn't. </p><p>Suddenly, the forest was alive again. A lethal body of white springing through the birch, massive fangs and claws ripping into thick hide and gamey flesh. Soft gurgling growls emanated from the creature's mouth, bubbles of spit and blood forming around fine white whiskers and dark pink nose, as blood, thick and red began to gush from between its jaws. </p><p>Oh. He'd almost forgotten. Or he'd deluded himself into believing this creature, with its ears pinned to it's skull, paws hooking and pulling into tender skin, was a figment of his imagination. A ghost or demon Hanji insisted he had living in his head. A specter unable to affect the world. A thought which now seemed like the single shittiest thing to ever enter his brain. Fuck him. Fuck the demons. Four-eyes was gonna be meeting a real one if he made it out of this. He'd kill Hanji and then hunt down this thing if it doesn't get him first; because this creature, looking at him with massive green eyes, pupils so contracted they looked like black needles, was fucking real. </p><p>The air was tense. The silence, aside from the rip and tear of flesh, was deafening. Apparently ,this creature would never tire of looking at him even as it feasted. Their staring contest continued, with Levi unsure of weather he'd be able to draw his bow in time. This was the closest he'd been with his stalker, its body tense with power, ready to spring tight like a coil upon a single move. If it came to close-combat, he had a hunting knife on hand long enough to pierce through the creature's chest if need be. But it seemed like the ghost was content to watch him and on further inspection Levi noticed it wasn't feasting, but securing a hold of the deer's hide. Suddenly, its back legs began to shuffle, slowly but surely dragging Levi's prey down the path to his home.</p><p>Was this thing an idiot? </p><p>Following the trail and blood and broken twigs at a safe distance, Levi began to really inspect the creature's form. It looked nothing like any animal he'd seen, nor did it share any similarities to any mythical creatures he'd been told about by Erwin or Hanji. He wasn't particularly swayed by folklore, but would have believed the creature in front of him to be so if it resembled any he'd heard of. The world was vast and he'd heard many stories during his time as a soldier. If he had to pull an answer out of his ass he'd liken his little ghost to a lynx. They were rare and pretty elusive, even to a man like Levi; he'd only seen about two or three before. This was a stretch though, considering its size and pelt. This didn't even include its mannerisms. A lynx was solitary, quick to flee with a nasty temperament, while this... thing, was just outright bizarre. He'd never seen a predator, let alone any animal, carry a hunter's prey for them. The entire walk home that day was slow as it would have been if Levi carried the deer himself. However, that wasn't the case. Levi watched the poor dumb thing drag his prey all the way back to the flat, tree sparse grounds of his home, all the while waiting for it to turn on him. </p><p>It never happened.</p><p>From the edge of the forest, Levi watched the creature drop his kill off, pink tongue peeking out to run along its chops, as it watched him quietly. His curiosity was piqued, which was a rare event for Levi as he decidedly attempted to approach his helper. However, upon his first step, the creature's fur fluffed up to twice its size, especially around its neck, back, and tail. A fear induced defense mechanism he'd seen in other predators like wolves and foxes. The eye contact continued for a few seconds longer until the strange thing ran off into the mountains, its quick pace dislocating some loose rocks from the hillside. A spectacularly clumsy display for what Levi used to believe was a graceful spirit. </p><p>Overall, Levi would dub this month as being… Interrupted. His normal routine, displaced by an outside force. However, he'd be hard pressed to liken the feline to the disjointment experienced when interacting with Hanji or Erwin every month, god forbid the curious villager or two wanting to see the so-called 'hermit' living atop the mountains. Walking through the brush now, after all his encounters with the creature, Levi decided he preferred the company of beasts. His little ghost wasn't bad. Not bad at all. In fact, if it continued to remain so passive and docile, Levi might even be tempted to befriend the dumb thing.</p><p>Glancing to his right, Levi caught sight of his ghost through the trees, pale coat blending seamlessly against the white band of birch trunks, squeezed between fall forested floors and branches of reds, yellows and browns. He'd learned to spot out the eyes when looking for his stalker, an endless evergreen amidst a snowstorm. It always stunned him, for just a second. One second, that made him feel like he was consuming life itself, the beauty and the primal nature of it all in a single glance. Perhaps most men would feel fear looking into this beast's eyes, yet, Levi felt connected in a strange sense of freedom. His mind and body were calm, and the slight anxiety he felt upon their first meeting quickly began to fade into obscurity. </p><p>Only for it to all be taken away by the grating vibrations of speech. The sound of two very distinctive voices permeated into the shallow depths of the forest where Levi was emerging. The call of humans must have frightened his little stalker, its fur fluffing up like two weeks prior, staring at him as if in panic before noisily sprinting off deeper inside the forest towards the mountainside. Such a meek thing his ghost turned out to be. Dumb lynx only gets cheeky around him it seems. Of course that's probably confirmation enough that the creature has never seen or heard humans before, especially considering Levi had yet to speak in front of it. Walking up to his home, Levi wondered how his brave little tabby cat would react to his own voice and smiled slightly.</p><p>"Whoa, Levi, what's with that crazy look on your face!?" </p><p>"Shut it, Four-eyes." His voice was hoarse, rough and deep, falling unused having spent most of the month staring at ghosts. Levi wondered what Hanji would say to that if he told them. They'd probably say it was the demons and insist on cracking his skull open with whatever was in that medical bag they always dragged around. </p><p>"No, I'm being completely serious over here! I didn't think you knew how to make that expression! Wait a moment, have you been possessed by the demons? Oh, please say yes!" At this point Hanji was practically drooling, pointing at Levi as he walked up to the front door of his cabin. </p><p>"Good afternoon, Levi." Erwin was standing next to the front door, a large wicker basket resting upon his good hand, a wide amicable smile plastered on his face. </p><p>"Hm," Levi grunted in response as he opened the door to his cabin, Hanji peeking in behind him like they'd never seen his house before as he began to collect his furs for the month. The quicker their exchange, the faster they'd leave. </p><p>It wasn't as if their comradery had lessened after the war, they were still brothers in arms. A tight bond had formed through blood and pain, similar to the noose around his prey's neck. He'd set the rabbit down on the table, its white fur stark against the dark varnished wood, reminding him of the ghost prowling the trees. </p><p>Erwin had the misfortune of coming across, at least to Levi, as a very delusive person. To be brutally honest, he wasn't coming across that way, he just was. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, especially considering Levi grew up with him. However, after the war, the sight of certain smiles, the tone of his voice, even the way he smartly hid the loss of his arm with a wooden substitute adorned with gloves began to grate at Levi's nerves. Erwin was so… Well adjusted. Or so it seemed. He could never tell what the truth was. </p><p>And Hanji... well,</p><p>"Do you see a demon in that rabbit's corpse?" Hanji was very close now, their eyes unreadable, looking over Levi's shoulder at the dead rabbit. Hanji’s voice was soft and inquisitive as if they were asking a child about their day, but the underlying seriousness was still there. </p><p>Levi stayed silent, meeting Hanji's eyes with his own unreadable steel. </p><p>"It's just... you were looking at it for quite some time, Levi."</p><p>Before a plethora of more unwanted questions and accusations were thrown his way, Levi got back to collecting his furs, voice gruff and low. "I was thinking about how to skin it." </p><p>Hanji paused for a second, looking between Levi and the furs in his hands. "Why would you need to do that?" </p><p>"We brought you goat’s milk today." Erwin’s voice, strong as it ever was, cut through Hanji’s questions like a blade. "Oluo and Petras' cow has gone missing."</p><p>Erwin stopped his unpacking to look at Levi. Then, as if expecting him to know the answer to- 'What are their names again?' -missing sow. Funny how he could still remember the names of long dead soldiers while instantly forgetting those he'd most likely met once or twice already. </p><p>"Probably wolves." Levi said dismissively, eyes downcast as he finished packing away his pelts into a threadbare sack. </p><p>"As talkative as ever, I see." Erwin said this with a smile, looking back up at Levi as he finished emptying the basket. "Let me know if you come across its corpse anywhere." </p><p>Those words were loaded as shit; reeking with expectations of Levi visiting the village just to talk to Erwin about what? Some dead, rotted cow. </p><p>"Sure." A half hearted, but sincere response. If Erwin wanted to see him that bad, so be it, and if he didn't find the cow, the entire thing would be a moot-point anyway. </p><p>"If we're asking favors today, here!" Hanji was excited again, brown eyes wide with a manic gleam as they held out a fresh leather bound book. Taking a hold of it, Levi noticed all the pages were blank. It was a journal. </p><p>Tuning out Hanji’s babble about the rise of reading and writing comprehension, Levi spoke. "What is this for?" </p><p>Hanji looked like they were about to combust, hands restraining themselves at their sides clenching over and over so as not to invade Levi's personal space. </p><p>"You have a pot of ink and a quill, right? Well, I want you to write your dreams down in this book." Hanji pointed at the journal Levi was flipping through, their head held high. "Since your communication skills need work and you're so reluctant to tell me your thoughts anyway, I figure your dreams can do the work for you!" </p><p>Levi's face remained impassive, skeptical as he set down the book and responded flatly. "What, can my dreams tell you about demons?" </p><p>Erwin was already opening the front door, observing the dying sun setting below the shedding branches of the forest, reaching high into the watercolor of pink and orange, a stark black against the sunburst sky. "Who's to say, Captain? Some say that demons hide inside the dreams of men."</p><p>Erwin’s voice had a strange quality to it, deep and hollow like he'd heard him while submerged in water. Eerie beams of shade and sunlight filtered through the open door, casting the room in dim orange and blurry black outlines. Erwin's shadow stretched far into the room, almost touching Levi and Hanji’s feet. It felt like a puppet show, a disjointed imitation of the past. The speech before battle, before blood. </p><p>The hair on the back of Levi's neck stood up as Erwin spoke. "Wintertide must be approaching fast this year, the sun is already about to set. Next time," Erwin turned back to look at him with a smile, "we'll visit you earlier." </p><p>And then it was over. Erwin and Hanji departing with the dip of the sun. Levi watching them go until they were mere silhouettes among the trees, bags of skins on their backs. </p><p>In the wake of their absence, Levi felt an odd mix of relief and longing. Those days, blood and shit stained as they were, fighting alongside those two, he'd felt as right then as he did in his home now. Surrounded by the bodies of fellow soldiers, filled to the brim with life and survival. He was surrounded, but now their bodies are empty, willowed and hollow, the sea departing from the shore leaving only their silhouettes in the trees, fading as they walk down the path. </p><p>Now, Levi stands alone. He lurks in the mountains and the forest, more than a shadow but less than a man. A beast in human skin. Perhaps that's what his ghost was too.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eren had never shed his skin much in the mountains, never bathing with anything but the firm bristles of his tongue, so his first time in this river was rather shocking.</p><p>And he wondered, did the wolf bathe in this river as well?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A few things to note before reading this chapter:</p><p>Some of the events from this chapter have already happened, however now you will see them from Eren's perspective. </p><p>Selkies also have their own language referenced in this chapter which only other Selkies can understand.  </p><p>Eren will be assuming a lot of things in this chapter lore wise that may or may not be true.</p><p>That's about it. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I wonder why Levi isn't here yet. Ah! Do you think he's been eaten by a bear?" </p><p>"Bears aren't local to this region, so I highly doubt that's the case." </p><p>Sounds, so noisy and frequent, penetrated through the thick woods of the forest. One, deep and steady like the flow of a river, the other shrill and spastic like the chirps of a bird. They vibrated off the pale bark and dead leaves, back and forth in odd garbled waves, creating an eerie foreign tingle in Eren's sensitive ears. He'd never heard these sounds before. The strange mixture of tones caught him off guard, replacing his tentative curiosity and heavy focus with sharp defense and slight fear. Eren could feel his skin shiver, the thick hairs of his tail, neck, and back rippling as they instinctively grew and flexed. Shifting his gaze to look swiftly through the trees, Eren could see the wolf wasn't reacting much at all, continuing his walk through the colorful debris of the underbrush. Perhaps he couldn't hear them yet? What with being trapped in his fur-less form. If that was the case, he couldn't just leave the wolf alone. What if he were to be attacked? Worry began to overtake Eren as he crept carefully through the leaves, viridian eyes glued to his charges head. He knew the wolf could defend himself well, even without his pelt. The sharp sticks he carried around on his back made an excellent substitute for his missing claws and fangs. However, Eren still didn't want to chance it, especially if the wolf had no idea what lay ahead. No. He couldn't risk losing a fellow Selkie after all these years of solitude. </p><p>The pure, unadulterated isolation of the mountains was a curse and a blessing to Eren. He was born from the snow, deep and high in the mountains. Pale gray and stark white his first and only sight. The mountains were his beginning and end. That's what Mikasa had told him. She was the only kind of his breed he'd met. Occasionally, almost as if in some sick cycle, he'd meet her every few years. Only for a few days would she stay with him and tell him of tales passed down to her over the decades. She would talk of rabbits and eagles, of ibex and wolves, fellow creatures of the snow and rocks who could shed their skins as well. She would speak of creatures who would covet their furs, stealing and enslaving them, forcing them to flee into isolation. Mikasa told Eren many stories, but never of how she learned of them or if she'd encountered these things herself. It was hard to believe, especially considering Mikasa's nature, who unlike Eren seemed content in her solitude, her eyes never wandering, never craving for change, excitement nor companionship. During their brief reunions, she acted as though their meeting was coincidental and it may as well have been. The mountains as Eren later found, were not endless. Yet, despite all this, he clung to her every word, every tale until she cast him aside once more. Her pale coat consumed into the abyss of white, marooning Eren with curiosities abound. So deep was his desire to learn and explore the world around him that it led him further and further down the mountain until snow gave way to bare stone and dirt. A field of yellow tufted grass surrounded by an endless swarm of spruce, larch and pine welcoming him as he traveled. </p><p>The world felt as if it was opening up to him, exposing its many treasures, presenting him with small gifts he'd never seen before. The sights, sounds and smells that he'd heard of only in passing, imagined only in his dreams unfolding before him. Eren felt a sense of exhilaration in each new discovery; the snowbound mountains were his home, however, the lowlands were his playground. Rolling in lush fields of yellow and green, soaking up the dull rays overhead a pale blue sky for hours on end, the buzz and chirps of birds and bees feasting upon the purple and white pasque flowers scattered about like puffs of clouds; lulling him into a warm sleep. He'd attempt to play fight each new animal he'd find, tipping back onto his hind legs to expose his soft underbelly, big paws spread wide as he batted them around coyly waiting to see if the creature would reciprocate, maybe even perhaps shed its skin and reveal itself as his kind.</p><p>Unfortunately, it never happened.</p><p>However, Eren never let it deter him. After all, it was still quite enjoyable to chase around the foxes or deer he encountered after first greeting them. If they weren't Selkie, then they were food; and Eren loved to play with his food. </p><p>Eventually, he'd traveled far enough down the mountains that even his playpen had devolved into odd rock plains diluted with packs of sickly looking white trunked trees. Their leaves a breathtaking concoction of reds, yellows and browns falling and withering to the ground, so different from the sturdy bark and sharp green pines of his playground. And it was there, in that dying forest where Eren met his wolf. He was easy to spot, the tops of the shedding birch and maple unable to hide the string of dark smoke spooling into the pale sky, the massive oddly shaped group of brown logs a beacon among the hills, calling out to Eren like prey beneath a layer of heavy snow. </p><p>His approach on the structure was cautious—tentative footfalls padding between loose rocks and patches of yellowing grass. The smell in the air was laced with smoke and blood so thick it made his stomach growl, his fangs and tongue peeking out to better taste the air. Perhaps this was a wolves den? Eren had run into one or two before on his expeditions, the air around their homes always smelling full with ripe and slaughtered prey. Upon further inspection, Eren could spot the corpse of a rabbit, its once fur covered pink skin flayed open and browned with rot, sitting half eaten atop a ring of charred black sticks. How strange? He'd never seen a wolf or any other meat eater leave behind prey in such a manner. The poor thing looked utterly inedible at this point and Eren was practically aching to go down further, investigate the area and find out who or what lived in this den. Barely even scanning the area in all his excitement, Eren was just about to scale down the cliffside when a loud creak came from what he presumed to be the front of the den. </p><p>There, in front of him, was a fur-less Selkie. </p><p>The elation Eren felt was beyond measure. His body was stiff on the outside but abuzz with nerves inside, like he was stuffed full with a swarm of bees; unable to move as he watched on in fascination. Fur-less the Selkie may be, but not for a lack of trying. The man's face was pale white, almost pallid with dark rings under his eyes, the kind that occurred from a lack of sleep; that was the only skin visible. The rest of his form was covered in what looked to be an array of peculiar furs, the textures and colors of which appeared abnormal to him. Perhaps they belonged to a foreign animal he'd yet to become familiar with? The sizes and shapes too were quite unusual, fitting around his sinewy form like a second skin. It was all very stimulating to the eye, especially the long length of pine green-hide flowing forth from what appeared to be the grey and brown peppered pelt of a wolf. The wolf's fur wrapped around the Selkie’s neck and shoulders, its head, tail and paws missing entirely, strapped to the man with sturdy dark brown straps of hide that matched the kind found on his hands, waist and feet. Aside from those few pops of color the rest of his body was shrouded in black. What an odd thing to do. This creature before him was, in Eren's opinion, most certainly a Selkie; so why was he wearing multiple mutilated skins atop his furless form? The torn apart wolf pelt was what continued to catch Eren's eye as he watched the other in silence. He was waiting for him to transform into a wolf and spring into the forest. </p><p>Yes, a wolf. </p><p>He was most definitely a wolf. What with those pale moon eyes, shocking him out of his thoughts, catching him in a trap with a gaze so fierce and piercing he could feel it like a howl through the forest; the dark circles around his eyes a night sky accompanying each moon of his eye. His cover had been blown. His poor heart beat faster than a rabbit’s as they continued to share glances, deep green dilating with infatuation as he was swallowed up by the other peering up at Eren atop the cliffs like a predator. Enamor slowly squirmed through his guts, pleasant and warm as they continued to study one another for what felt like days, the short breaks of night between each meeting dragging on rather tediously. All Eren could think about were those eyes, staring so sharply it stung. </p><p>He wished to know more about this man. </p><p>So entranced Eren was that even the wolf's hair—black and short at the back but longer in the front—began to become mysterious and captivating to him. Why did it look like that? So different from Eren's own. Who was this Selkie? Why even after many dawns and dusks had he refused to transform? These questions plagued Eren's mind until he could no longer resist. Days of staring, longingly at his wolf culminating in his curiosity boarding into fixation. The temptation to approach the other was building so strong inside Eren that it ached. The wolf seemed to feel differently though, as the next day he seemingly ignored Eren, sparing him a single parting glance before wandering off into the forest—in furless form no less! </p><p>What could he be going there for? To hunt? Without shifting forms? Albeit the sickly forests of the lower lands were absent of fiercer predators, however, surely even a cranky fox or deer could bludgeon or bite the man to death in one blow. Eren wouldn't allow that, not before he had even approached the wolf. So it was with a surge of misplaced protection and bursting curiosity that Eren followed the mysterious man into the woods, his sleek body camouflaging among the shedding trunks of birch, footfalls as light as the falling foliage. Following the enriching smell of viscera and smoke he'd grown so keen on over the past few days, Eren came across the man crouched behind the cover of a fallen tree, layers of mud and dirt building around the decaying trunk, masking his scent from the young hare up ahead. The poor unsuspecting thing was snacking on some tender looking grass, completely unaware of the man's presence. His wolf looked positively predatory, his moon hallowed eyes as sharp as Eren’s own fangs as he pulled back some sort of pointed stick attached to a string. Eren couldn't look away as the bloodlust continued to grow, a menacing aura practically seething from his skin as his posture continued to tense, chest flexing in and out with each steady breath. His wolf's intent was permeating the area, seeping into Eren's skin and making his guts itch and squirm with anticipation. Mere seconds felt like hours. Eren couldn't help bending smoothly into a predatory crouch himself, his long fluffy tail rising up as he wiggled his hindquarters in utter excitement. He felt like he was about to whine in complete desperation for the wolf to do something! Anything! A small whimper crept up his throat, until finally, the tension snapped like a bolt of light in a storm filled sky; Eren's fur puffed up with shock and elation as the pointed stick surged like a eagle mid dive, jamming itself firmly through the nibbling hare's glassy eyes, a splatter of blood pooling to the ground on its opposite side. </p><p>The swiftness and power of his wolfs kill burned hot in Eren's veins, slitted green eyes growing wide with awe as he watched the man approach his slaughtered prey. His once contracted pupils dilated, a sea of black surrounded by a thin circle of viridian as he absorbed the tang of blood, pink tongue peeking out to taste the air. Hidden there, among the brush, feeling so very overwhelmed with enamor for his infatuation, Eren felt like a complete fool for assuming the wolf couldn't survive in his other form. Eren himself always felt so weak and helpless without his fangs and claws to protect him, an unfamiliar body so sensitive and exposed that he rarely ever shed his pelt to further explore his fur-less form. However, that didn't seem to be the case with his wolf. No, this Selkie must have had plenty of time to grow accustomed with his other form, finding uses for it Eren couldn't even begin to imagine. He wanted to learn more, see more of this man, and so naturally, Eren followed him back home. </p><p>Upon arriving back in the sparse clearing, Eren watched in the safety of the forest's edge as the wolf bypassed the innards of his unusual den. Instead, he sat his quarry down upon a wooden platform on the side of his home and began to slice into the creature's stomach with abnormally sharp and long claws? Which he could take on and off. Eren's confusion only mounted as he observed the man take a break from his cutting in order to dispose of the pile of black sticks he'd noted a few days prior, throwing them off behind his abode and replacing them—with fresh sticks and dried yellowed weeds—after lifting the top of a wooden block. Soon after, the man picked up an abnormal, smoky black stone and began to move his arm vigorously, swiftly and steadily—stroking the stone in one hand across the flat of his claw in the other until small sparks of light appeared and caught on dead grass, a flame bursting to life right before Eren's eyes, its bright blaze spreading infectiously over the pile of sticks and weeds until a hearty fire was born. </p><p>Again, Eren felt paralyzed with fascination. He'd only ever seen fire birthed from the sky when it was angered. Massive clouds shifting frequently, growing dark with the clap and roar of harsh thunder, steaks of rouge bolts plummeting to the earth and colliding with the innocent trees upon it to cause great explosions of bright flames erupting hot and strong through the long rain storms. How was it possible then, for his wolf to create fire right from his own hands? Eren so desperately wanted to know, needed the wolf to transform right this instant so they could converse in Selkie tongue. Eren had yet to meet another Selkie breed, but he was sure this man, who had so much more knowledge and skill than Eren ever could, would be able to understand him. They would talk and afterwards they would run in the forests and bathe in rivers, laze in sunny fields and hunt ibex in the mountains. He so hopelessly begged for this to be true, digging his claws into the frigid hard soil underfoot as he watched his wolf resume his place in front of the eviscerated hare. </p><p>Time seemed to pass like that for quite a while, with the wolf tossing the fleshy waste-filled innards of the hare into the fire, intricately cutting into the ravished animal's flesh in what felt like a strange ritual of sorts. Growing a bit tired as the sun began to rise overhead, Eren eventually decided to make himself known—if he hadn't been spotted already—and worked his way up safely to the rocky hillside above the Selkies home. The large flat stones of the forming mountain were smooth and warm, perfect for Eren to lay upon and absorb the sun's rays as he kept an idle vigil on his charge. His change in position, as expected, caught the attention of the wolf; his body stiffening, bloody gore covered fingers pausing amidst his work to turn stormy silver eyes upon Eren's form. The man most definitely remained weary of him, waiting to see what Eren would do, much like their previous encounters. </p><p>Stalking slowly up to the inviting plateau of stone, Eren calmly rolled onto his side, making sure to maintain eye contact with the other man as he softly opened and closed his eyes, chuffing lightly in an act of friendly greeting. However, when that alone seemed insufficient to reassure the wolf, Eren decided to shift even further back on the ground to reveal the soft of his belly, his large paws raising up lazily bent in the air and his whiskered cheek pressed flushed to the heated earth. That act of vulnerability and trust seemed to pull a reaction out of his wolf, his sharp eyes widened just a fraction, dark thin brows loosened up as the curve of his downturned lips bent neutral until finally his features collectively settled from confusion into the barest of smiles. The sight alone, at least to Eren, was similar if not more rewarding than when he first discovered his playground of pine trees. It felt as if he'd just received a rare gift and all he wanted was more smiles, more attention, more of anything from this lone wolf. </p><p>All too soon however, his smile was gone, replaced with a neutral expression as he looked away from Eren to continue his dismantlement. Disappointment flashed coldly through Eren's skin, a pathetic whine for attention threatening to break loose until he witnessed the man cleanly and completely separate the rabbit from it's own skin. Eren couldn't believe what he was seeing; a muddied and blood stained white fur, hallowed of flesh; its mass appearing from the furled knot of inside-out gore. The wolf soon abandoned the flayed pink and bloodied muscles of the rabbit itself to hang the aggravated and pulled skin on a string connected to his den and a long stick. Eren was baffled, green eyes enlarging with wonder for the hundredth time today as he watched the excess blood trapped between the fur and skin drain and drip into the soil beneath it. First fire and now this! </p><p>And he wondered: what could his wolf possibly need with a rabbits pelt?  </p><p>Perhaps… And Eren dreaded to think of this, but... Perhaps his fellow Selkie had lost his own skin and was now hunting to get a new one? The wolf pelt adorned on his back did look rather beaten up; it was completely dismembered as Eren noted earlier and he felt dumb not to think of this possibility earlier. Without a head, paws or tail, his wolf wouldn't be able to use that fur any longer. This also explained why the other had yet to shift forms. Upon realizing all this, Eren felt heartbroken; if his wolf is unable to change forms, they'll never be able to speak or explore together. Eren could feel all his hopes begin to crash to the ground. The other Selkie must feel crestfallen as well over the loss of his fur if he was willing to steal the pelts of rabbits, carrying the remains of his destroyed skin upon his shoulders like a grieving father. This was too cruel a fate, so devastating in its nature that suddenly—like the flames his wolf had birthed from the ashes—Eren was determined to help him. Eren would find him a new, even better pelt than his previous one. He'd give him any animal any skin he'd like until his wolf was restored. </p><p>Eren's mission continued on as such, his actions growing bolder and bolder. From diverting prey the wolf's way during hunts, to scent marking the area around his den at night so other predators wouldn't steal his drying skins. However, Eren eventually decided on a more hands-on approach, his claws and fangs digging into the gamey flesh of a deer his wolf had killed, dragging it back to their home in his stead. At the time he thought he'd try communicating with the wolf through Selkie tongue, but all Eren got in return was cold calculating stares. Why he thought that would work, especially with his jaws clamped around a massive deer, was beyond him now. </p><p>Regardless, Eren was still on the hunt, even as he crept closer and closer to the chilling calls beyond the forest. He'd come to the conclusion that perhaps his wolf desired Eren to give him a pelt of his own choosing; a gift of sorts for all his efforts so far. Truth be told, Eren would prefer his charge to take the form of a virile creature, such as a lynx or wolf, rather than the smaller game he'd been hunting thus far. It was understandable, though, what with the former animals residing much higher up the mountain. Either way, Eren knew if he worked hard enough, the skin he'd deliver his wolf would finally work as a proper substitute for his destroyed fur. That thought alone got him quite worked up, soft belly brushing against the forested floor as his fur continued to fluff up defensively from the intrusive noises. His movements eventually caught the attention of the other Selkie. Silver stormed blue met grassland green, lingering for what seemed like hours. They were taking each other in, like flora soaking sunbeams. A visceral sunburst of emotions overwhelming Eren for just a moment. The confusion caused him to freeze in place. It looked as if his charge had finally noticed the incoming threat; yet, Eren found no fear in those piercing dark eyes, only a vague sense of interest and reassurance. In fact, his wolf seemed to care very little, if not at all about the intruders. He was more curious of Eren's response than anything else; the relief which flooded him at this was odd. How could this man with only a single, solitary gaze slow Eren's heart and mind so swiftly? He was like a beam of sunlight on his cool pelt, the rush of a clear river cleaning the blood from an open wound; coaxing Eren's hackles down with an ease unlike any other. His predatory, exasperated crouch releasing with a pleasant pull to tense muscles. If his wolf was unafraid, then so too would Eren be. Perhaps these sounds belonged to a creature he'd yet to properly meet? If that were the case, then he should accompany his charge back home and get a glimpse of them! However, as they continued to watch one another and the eerie otherworldly garbles of the creatures slithered into his ears, Eren's hesitation returned, his curiosity warping into fear with an especially shrill shriek . </p><p>"Oh Leviiiiii! Come out, come out wherever you are." </p><p>Eren couldn't make hide nor hair of such bizarre vocalizations, his fur puffing instantly with the turn of his wolf's head. Those deep reassuring eyes severing the comforting gaze they held like jaws to a hare's bones. Eren was unnerved, his body refusing to go on, instincts screaming at him to hide quickly and camouflage himself amidst the pale mountains and trees. However, instead of running away, Eren endeavored to make the best of his cowardice. Looking to the sky, he noticed the light's descent, his charge appeared to exclusively stalk his prey in the early mornings and afternoons. Perhaps Eren could hunt for him during dusk? That way, he'd be sure to find a strong and beautiful pelt worthy of his wolf. Yeah, that's what he'd do. Direct confrontation was never his strong suit anyway, and he highly doubted the wolf required his help in this, what with his disinterest in the sounds. This foreign creature must be one his brave wolf has dealt with before. Indeed, Eren would support his charge in other ways more flattering to his talents. He'd stalk and kill a rare find deep into the pines and present it to the wolf with pride. He was sure that's what his wolf desired most. </p><p>Feeling a little less pathetic and bolstered from his self proclaimed mission, Eren spared a last look at his charge. The wolf instinctually met his gaze for but a second before Eren sprinted off like a gust of wind—there one moment then gone the next—the earth falling still in his absence once more. By the time Eren had made it to the rocky grass laden plateau separating the birch white forests of the lowlands and the steep brumal bound pines of the highlands, twilight was already fast approaching. The sun painted a blood red orange across the land and sky, streaks of deep pinks, purples and yellows overlaying a darkening blue horizon. The world began to shroud itself in shadow, skeletal tree branches appearing as black fingers and claws. The flattened land ahead of him a muted sea of barren colorless earth, the white of his pelt a solitary light amongst the vast shadows of the encroaching tundra as Eren continued to blaze ahead. Once he'd reached the higher elevations of the pines, darkness had truly set upon him. The thick sturdy branches of spruce and larch engrossed the hillside in total blackout, so much so that even the moon, with its bright, cool, light was unable to pierce the lush greens. </p><p>This was his playground in dusk. </p><p>The floor of the forest was already surrendering itself to the frost of the mountains, as Eren roamed further in, his massive paws barely producing so much as a crunch atop the heavy snowfall. He was silent as the grave, predatory green eyes adjusting to the darkness, mouth agape to scent the crisp winter air. Sensitive ears flicked back and forth as he stopped every few minutes to survey the area. Navigation, even in these conditions, was child's play compared to his time at the summit, the memories of an endless rocky maze and deadly heights instilling Eren with a sense of confidence as he smelled the air in earnest. His first thought, of course, was to find his charge a new wolf pelt. However, given the fact that Eren had only ever seen them roam in massive packs, the chances of actually killing even one were pretty slim. He was sure he'd be able to take one down if they were alone though, considering how easily he'd hunted ibex in the peaks. Perhaps he could set up some sort of physical trap in a similar fashion to his charge? Although, thinking deeper on the subject, Eren had no idea how to make one of those odd contraptions he'd seen the other Selkie recovering his dead prey from. Would he have to shed his skin to construct it? He wasn't sure if his furless form even held the coordination for such a task.</p><p>As these thoughts swam through his brain, Eren suddenly caught the scent of another predator. The creature was very close, the pungent scent of its perfume permeating the still air like the rotting of old meat, ripe and foul enough to have Eren instantly turn his head in its direction. There, up in a bushy snow burdened pine, was the crouching feral form of a lynx. The other cat was practically vibrating as it slowly began to groan, abrupt hissing transforming into full on blood curdling screeches. A standoff of sorts began between the two, green eyes meeting golden yellow as they glowed in the night. In any other circumstance, the lynx's defensive yells and strategic position would have been enough to deter Eren. However, he was on a mission and if he couldn't get a wolf, a lynx would be sure to impress just as well, perhaps even garner some praise. </p><p>Bending gracefully into a low predatory crouch, Eren's shoulders bunched tightly together, stocky legs gathering power as he prepared to leap up into the tree. Approaching the crying lynx any further on foot wasn't a wise option, as the smaller cat was liable to sprint away too soon or worse—hold its ground and attack from above. No, Eren had to make this unexpected. Sudden and swift enough to end the lynx with one blow. Taking a deep breath—claws and tail flexing in preparation for grip and balance—Eren imagined the monumental leaps he'd made in the past. Over gaping ravines and steep crevasse’, his sleek body sailing over a remarkable amount of dead space in an instant in order to tackle his prey; and just as it was in his past so it is now in the present. His stout, lean form springing up to the midpoint of the tree right on top of the lynx. The shrill thing was going absolutely hoarse as it continued to screech and scratch at Eren in a cacophony of fear and pain. However, it was all in vain, his claws already gripping deep into thick fur, powerful legs and thick spotted tail swaying in the branches, allowing him to balance and push his fangs deeper in past his prey's scruff as he growled low and long. Soon enough, the struggling ceased, a burst of viscous blood flooding Eren's throat; the tang of iron resting on his tongue a sure sign of death as he carefully surveyed the area for any carnivorous scavengers. The fresh corpse remained clamped snugly between Eren's jaws as he scaled his way down the tree, sharp claws raked deeply into rugged tree bark as he jerked his head around cautiously. The lynx's body was flailing about with each movement like a fish out of water, yet Eren remained unbothered by the weight, his legs shifting into a quick trot as he made his way through the tundra; his head held high in order to drag his wolf's prize home with the least amount of damage. </p><p>The journey back to the den was faster than Eren anticipated. He hadn't expected his down hill retreat to be such a cinch, perhaps because he was used to dragging his kills higher rather than lower into the mountains. However, eventually he was forced to stop and catch his breath, the rapid change in elevation and added weight catching up to him near the end of the plateau. He could see the stark white trunks of the birch trees forming their forested wall up ahead, the moon illuminating through their flimsy leaves and delicate branches. Enjoying the night scene for a bit longer while catching his breath, quick, harsh pants morphing into deep slow breaths, Eren looked down to the corpse at his feet. He'd kept the fur in otherwise perfect condition, the velvety melting pot of dark greys and whites ruffling softly in the wind. He didn't have the same finesse as his wolf, but Eren was sure the pelt would please him despite the multitude of puncture wounds. Most of the blood had gushed either down Eren's throat or past his mouth onto the soft plush of his chest. He'd rather himself get dirty than his gift any day. Although, he should probably make sure to wash himself off before delivering his kill. Eren wanted to appear as pristine and unaffected as his wolf did after a hunt when he finally presented his prize. </p><p>Ignoring the firm pulsing ache beginning to rise within his jaw and neck, Eren shook himself off, fur fluffing up for but a moment, his supple back curving down nicely as he stretched his paws out and yawned. Best he got a move on before sleep overtook the wolf, Eren couldn't wait for the sun to return before giving his present. No, that was much too long a wait. Eren was practically bursting at the seams the closer he got to the stream, prancing past birch and maple until the foliage plastered floor became saturated with moist earth and moss. Aside from his wolf's home, this was Eren's favorite corner of the white forest. Surrounded on both sides by sand smoothed boulders and stones, the brook always appeared so serene in night fall; the moon's embrace lighting the rippling stream as it flooded onwards, bending naturally against the trout and grayling that partook in its bounty. Boarded by the delicate shedding branches of pale trunked birch and dark brown maple, their dying leaves of yellow and red fell gently and pooled upon the water like the fireflies fluttering about, their soft glow illuminating the tan of Eren's flesh as he shed his skin. </p><p>Recently, he loved to bathe in his fur-less form. He'd become quite addicted to it, the gentle flow of the stream against his sensitive skin. Unlike his cat form, Eren learned, he was quite receptive to water like this. Even in the cooling temperatures of the oncoming wintertide, his body didn't seem to mind. The skin, especially around his chest, tingled pleasantly in the chilly embrace of the brook. Dunking his head completely under the current to wet brown locks, Eren wondered if his wolf enjoyed bathing as well? He'd notice him from his perch above his den walking into the direction of Eren's stream, too early in the morning for even the cat to work up the desire to follow him; Eren would find himself curling back into a ball on the cliff, wrapping his thick, fluffy tail around his body and face to keep warm as he fell back into sleep, only to awake to the refreshed scent of dead leaves and rain clinging to the man's pale skin. Eren wondered if his wolf tingled during his baths, too? Eren had never shed his skin much in the mountains, never bathing with anything but the firm bristles of his tongue, so his first time in this river was rather shocking. The reactions to the simplest of stimulation in this form were completely foreign to him. Did the cold make his wolf's skin turn hot with soft reds and pinks as well? Did his nipples grow peaked and hard without the warmth of his fur? These thoughts continued to lick away at his mind, curiosity burning hot and deep in his gut as he floated idly in the stream. Once his wolf regained his skin, would he impart Eren with his secrets; show him how his body worked? </p><p>Eren wanted that so very much. </p><p>Wanted to be trained, taught and disciplined by his wolf. Enlightened until he was no longer afraid of this furless form. His desires only made his curiosity fiercer, clawless hands clutching against the water slick stones hugging the edge of the river as he squirmed about, his throat squeezing tight to release a foreign sound not too far off from his usual needy whines. Startled, Eren quickly hid his face under the stream, peeking behind the boulder he was stashed behind, unable to recognize the sound bouncing off against the rocks as his own. It was such an uncanny echo, similar to his usual vocalizations but also not. However, slowly but surely Eren's eyes grew wide with fascination, looking around him cautiously before squeezing them shut tightly in an effort to focus and recreate the noise. Upon its arrival Eren smiled, kicking around in the water triumphantly as he attempted to locate the dead lynx he'd left ashore. If he could communicate in this form as well, maybe his wolf could too! Perhaps he didn't need the lynx pelt after all? However, upon further introspection, Eren realized the wolf did not respond to Selkie tongue at all during the red deer hunt, so even if Eren could speak in this form his words would mean nothing. Which means the pelt. The pelt must be the key! His wolf must need to regain a skin in order to speak in and understand Selkie tongue again. </p><p>Smacking himself in the side of the head with a wet palm, Eren crawled his way out of the river on all fours. He felt like such a fool for thinking he could throw his gift away. Even if the lynx was rejected as a new skin, Eren was sure his wolf would appreciate his efforts. In fact, if Eren was able to speak in this form, maybe he could attempt to separate the lynx's fur and flesh just as the wolf had! That would most definitely make up for his idiocy.</p><p>Plopping down in front of the corpse with both hands touching the ground between his spread thighs, Eren leaned over to closely observe the lynx. His back was hunched, both his knees pressed firmly into the ground as he planned his dissection point. He recalled the wolf slicing into the hare's belly first, so with great focus Eren ran his hand harshly over the lynx's stomach, expecting its guts to pool out into a bloody slop. However, nothing happened. He must need something sharper than his blunt furless claws. Surveying the area with the little night vision he had in this form, Eren's pitch black eyes ringed green and wide with dilation zeroed in on a fallen tree branch, sharp at its end from an unnatural severing. </p><p>Leaning forward to grab the stick a little too eagerly, Eren tipped clumsily onto his chest, letting loose a puff of air from his water soaked chest as he dragged the stick to his side. The fallen tree branch reminded him of the removable claws his wolf had brandished, and with the help of the fireflies light Eren stabbed the wood deep into the lynx's gut. At first he was excited, pressing the branch further and further in, until, upon trying to slice downward the stick became stuck. Pouting slightly, Eren attempted to remove his makeshift claw and try again with a more shallow approach. Dragging the sharp end of the wood against the irritated flesh, Eren was able to make the cut, even if it was sloppy and rough at best. Soon enough, his hand became slick with blood, thick chunks of intestine and other parts being picked out and thrown ahead into the forest for a scavenger to eat. Eren was proud of himself, following his wolf's movements as best he could, wiping the cold water from his dripping bangs off his face with an unbothered hand, a smear of vicious blood dribbling down his forehead to the plump of his cheek with a smile until he hit another snag. A stick, no matter how sharp was in no way long or thin enough to separate flesh from fur. Feeling a bit overwhelmed and annoyed, Eren threw the branch back into the forest. His green eyes darting back and forth, comparing his pristine pelt to the disfigured lynx with a warbled sad little whine. Hopefully, despite his repeated mess ups his wolf would still see the value in his efforts, maybe even endeavor to teach him properly. </p><p>Hopefully… </p><p>With a massive sigh, Eren made his way back to the river to bathe himself thoroughly, unable to help kicking up some dirt into the open belly of his prey in an instinctual attempt to hide its scent. The night was aging well, its moon cascading down upon the water enough for Eren to watch the viscera escape him. The nearby fish who were brave enough, swimming close to gulp up the bits of flesh from under his nails as vivid reds plastered upon a tan complexion were sucked from his supple skin like a leech into the river's flow, merging with the clear, still rapids. Such a comforting sight, the fish benefiting from him, eating their fill. It was a codependent relationship, one which Eren found naturally appealing. He felt calm, lulled and bewitched into a sense of peace as he listened to the soft sounds of the forest. His hearing didn't work as well in this form, but he felt a sense of intoxicating warmth in the idea of sharing the same scope as his wolf, and he wondered, staring up at the lone waning moon, if they would ever bathe here together one day.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Poor Eren, he's so horny and he doesn't even know it. lol</p><p>I'm setting up a tentative release schedule of every 1 to 2 weeks depending on the availability of my betas and of my own motivation and inspiration. The entire story has been roughly planned out so if all goes well in life and such, expect this release schedule to be followed, I'll of course make sure to let you all know if anything happens to change though.   </p><p>Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!</p><p>(Edit 5/12/21) Hi guys I'm still here dw, April was especially tough for me personally and also bc of the ending to aot, It really put me out tbh. Aside from that I'm currently working on a very long one shot so I haven't been able to keep up with my 2 week upload schedule. However, once I finish this oneshot things should go back to normal.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Can you guess what animal Eren is? I'll give you a hint it's not local to the region.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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